The present invention relates generally to a connector for providing electrical connections to a printed circuit board and, more particularly, to such a connector which further provides for mounting a high current device so that high current conducted through the device does not pass through circuit paths on the printed circuit board.
Connectors having one or more ports for receiving an intermating connector in each port have been connected to printed circuit boards in the prior art. One known connector has two ports positioned end-to-end relative to one another. It is also known in the prior art to employ high current devices, such as relays, solenoids, power transistors, for example, metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), and the like on printed circuit boards. The present invention is particularly applicable to power transistors and will be described relative to mounting MOSFETs.
One or more MOSFETs can be mounted to a first side of a printed circuit board and a connector can be mounted onto or supported adjacent the same side of the board. Lead pins from the MOSFET(s) and electrical conductors from the connector fit into openings in the circuit board and extend therethrough to a second side of the board. The lead pins and electrical conductors are then connected to circuit paths located on the second side of the board by dip or wave-soldering, thereby permitting the MOSFET(s) to be interconnected with the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,590 further teaches mounting semiconductor power components directly onto an electrical connector which is in turn connected to a printed circuit board. However, high current leads of the power components are interconnected to electrical conductors of the connector via circuit paths on the board.
Unfortunately, interconnecting power components, such as MOSFETs, with a connector by employing circuit paths running along the circuit board results in high current passing through the MOSFET(s) being supported upon the printed circuit board. Such arrangements have been found to be undesirable because: 1) high current on printed circuit paths create noise and interfere with signals on other paths on the board; 2) locating MOSFET(s) on the board uses valuable board space; 3) MOSFET(s) generate a substantial amount of heat which is difficult to dissipate if the MOSFET(s) are mounted on the board; 4) circuit paths on the board are susceptible to damage from high currents which are within the current specifications of the MOSFET(s); and, 5) circuit paths on the board connected with the MOSFET(s) are large and thus also use valuable board space.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved arrangement for interconnecting high current devices, such as MOSFETs, with a connector associated with a circuit board so that high currents conducted through the devices do not pass through circuit paths on the board.